SILSOE
WAR MEMORIAL
World War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed
information
Compiled and copyright © 2000 Lynda Smith
|
 |
The
Memorial outside the church was of stone that was rapidly becoming unreadable
The War Memorial is in the process of being re-carved and cleaned and
is nearly finished; now all is legible in addition there is, within
the church, a beautifully inscribed board with a further list of men.
 |
 |
Photographs
Copyright © Lynda Smith 2004 |
Inscription
on the Memorial Board inside church
TO
THE GLORY OF GOD
IN MEMORY OF THE
MEN OF SILSOE
WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR
1914 – 1918
IN
HEARTS AND
MEMORY ENSHRINED
WITH GOD THEY
LIVE FOR EVER
AMBRIDGE |
Ernest John |
Acting Corporal 516394, Labour Corps formerly 17217
Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 13th September 1918 in
France and Flanders. Born and resident Silsoe, enlisted Ampthill.
Buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France.
Plot III. Row E. Grave 12. |
BANGS |
Leonard |
possibly Leonard
Edward BANGS, Rifleman 3963, 9th (County of London) Battalion, (Queen
Victoria's Rifles), London Regiment. Enlisted London, resident Tottenham.
Died of wounds 5th July 1915 in France & Flanders. Age 21. Son
of William H. and Susan Bangs, of 9, Waltheof Avenue, Lordship Lane,
Tottenham, London. Buried in Etretat Churchyard, Seine-Maritime,
France. Plot II. Row D. Grave 21. [This is the only L BANGS on
the CWGC and SDGW so it would seem highly likely this is him].
|
CORNWELL |
Jack aka John
George
|
Private 6930, 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
Died Thurs 29 June 1916. Aged 22. The son of William John & L Cornwell
of Silsoe. Commemmorated Dive Copse British Cemetery, Somme. Plot
II. Row A. Grave 21. See also Hitchin
War Memorial and Hitchin
Grammar School WW1 Memorial |
CLAYSON |
John William |
possibly Private
26072, 'C' Company, 7th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Reg. Formerly
1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Tuesday
24 April 1917. Aged 22. Born Wellingborough, Northants, enlisted
Reading and resident Ampthill. Son of John & Julia Clayson of The
Gardens, Dashwood, Gravesend, Kent. Also served at Gallipoli. No
known grave. Commemorated on Dorian Memorial, Greece. |
DUNHAM |
Ernest William |
Private 150366, 16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry
(Manitoba Regt). Died Mon 4 Sept 1916. Aged 22. son of James & Sophia
Dunham of 19 High Street, Silsoe, Bedfordshire. Commemmorated Vimy
Memorial, Pas de Calais. |
FAHEY |
Albert |
possibly Private
12470, 7th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Born South
Lambeth, London, enlisted St Pancras, London, resident Whitehall,
London. Killed in action 31st March 1916 in France & Flanders.
No known grave. Commemorated on on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial,
Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 20. [This is the only
A FAHEY on the CWGC and SDGW so it would seem hilghly likely this
is him]. |
FENNEMORE |
Herbert Henry |
[On
CWGC & Soldiers Died CD recorded as Herbert Henry FENNEMORE]
Private 33387. 1st Btn. Hampshire Regiment. Killed in action Saturday
31st August 1918. Aged 41. Born Silsoe, enlisted Christchurch, Hampshire.
Son of Francis Eliza Fennemore of Silsoe. Husband of May Fennemore,
109 Bargates, Christchurch, Hants. Commemorated in Eterpigney British
Cemetery, Pas de Calais. Row B. Grave 15. Also commemorated on on
his parents grave:
In
Loving Memory
Of
FRANCIS FENNEMORE
Who died July 7th 1904
Aged 64 years
So He Giveth His Beloved Sleep
Also
His Beloved Wife
ELIZA FENNEMORE
Who died February 1st 1911
Aged 72 years
“Peace Perfect Peace”
Also
their beloved son
HERBERT
Killed in action in France August 31st 1918.
“Until the day breaks”. |
GUDGION |
William Henry |
Private M2/181153. 906th M.T. Company, Army Service
Corps. Died at sea Friday 4th May 1917. Aged 39. Born, enlisted
and resident Burgh Heath, Surrey. Son of William Gudgion of Rose
Cottage, Silsoe. Hunband of Charlotte Harding (formerly Gudgion)
of Fair View, Abbots Road, Cheam, Surrey. No known grave. Commemorated
on on Savona Memorial, Italy.
Information from
Les Gudgion, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
Born
13th May 1878. 33 Richard Street, Islington, London.
On
3rd May 1917, the Transylvania, a troopship, sailed from Marseille
to Alexandria with a full complement, escorted by the Japanese
destroyers Matsu and Sakaki. On 4th May The Transylvania was torpedoed,
close to Cape Vado in the Gulf of Genova, by German Submarine
U-63. The Matsu came alongside the Transylvania and began to offload
the troops whilst the Sakaki circled to force the submarine to
remain submerged. After a second torpedo hit, the Transylvania
sank immediately. In total 414 men lost their lives.
The
bodies recovered at Savano (just north of Cape Vado), were buried
two days later, from the hospital of San Paulo, in a special plot
in the town cemetery. Others are buried elsewhere in Italy, France,
Monaco and Spain. Savona Town Cemetery contains 85 Commonwealth
burials from the First World War, all but two of them casualties
from the Transylvania. Within the cemetery is the Savona Memorial
which commemorates a further 275 casualties who died when the
Transylvania sank, but whose graves are unknown.
|
HERBERT |
Auberon Thomas
(8th Baron Lucas of Crudwell and 11th Baron Dingwall)
|
Captain/Flight
Commander, 22nd Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and Hampshire Yeomanry
(Carabiniers). Whilst on a photo reconnaissance mission over the
rear of the German Lines when he became separated from two other
machines from his Squadron and their escort, and was photographing
from below broken cumulus clouds in a strong South Wind when he
was seriously wounded after being attacked by the enemy, and fell
unconscious; his observer was able to crash land the aircraft but
Lucas died of his wounds later in the day Friday 3rd November 1916.
Aged 40. Born 25 May 1876. 8th Baron Lucas & 11th Baron Dingwall.
Son late Hon. Auberon Edward Molyneux Herbert. Mentioned in Despatches.
Awarded Serbian Order of Kara, George, 4th Class, with Swords. Government
Minister and Member of the British Cabinet, Westminsterand President
of the Board of Agriculture, British Government. Admitted to Bedford
Grammar School July 1886. In the 1891 census he was a boarder,.
Aged 14, born Milton, Hamoshire, a scholar, boarding at 30, Kimbolton
Road, Bedford Eastern Ward, Bedford, Bedfordshire. In the 1911 census
he was. Aged 34, unmarried, born Milton, Hampshire, a Parliamentary
under secretary of state for tin colonies, resident 7 Cleveland
Row, St James Westminster, London & Middlesex. No known grave.
Commemorated on H.A.C. Cemetery, Ecoust-St.-Mein, Pas de Calais.
Plot VIII. Row C. Grave 17
From
the Balliol College War Memorial Book, Volume 1 -
Auberon
Thomas Herbert, Lord Lucas and Dingwall
AUBERON
HERBERT was born in May 1876, the only son of the Honourable
Auberon Herbert by his marriage with the sister of the last Earl
Cowper. He was educated at Bedford Grammar School, and, after
some time in the house of Mr. A. L Smith, entered Balliol in October
1895 He had never rowed at school, but he was a fine natural athlete,
and found a place in his last two years in the University boat,
as well as in the famous Balliol Eight of 1899, which contained
five Blues. He had very little of the ordinary sportsman about
him; his tastes were rather those of the gipsy, and he had an
astonishing knowledge of birds and beasts and every wild thing.
Far better than the ritual of games he loved his private adventures
in the byways of the countryside. He did not do much in the schools,
taking a Third Class in Modern History, but his most intimate
friends were scholars like Cuthbert Medd and Raymond Asquith,
and he developed a great love of poetry and music. For politics
at that time he cared not at all. With his petulant mouth and
great wondering eyes he had the air of one who was amused and
a little puzzled by life.
At
the outbreak of war in 1899 he was off at once to South Africa,
taking the first chance he got, which was that of Times correspondent.
There he was abundantly happy. He was not specially interested
in military affairs, but he loved the spacious land and the adventurous
life. When I think what dull things I was doing last year,' he
wrote to a friend, 'I am staggered by the luck which has brought
me here.' Presently, advancing too far forward in an action, he
got a rifle bullet in his foot. The wound was mismanaged, and
when he came back to England his leg had to be amputated below
the knee. To most men of his type such a loss might well have
been crippling. To him it simply did not matter at all. He rode
and played tennis and stalked just as before. He must have had
bad hours, but he refused to be depressed even for a moment by
a small thing like the loss of a leg.
Presently,
under Raymond Asquith's guidance, he, who had been at Oxford a
member of the Canning Club, became a Liberal candidate for Parliament.
His uncle died in the summer of 1905, and he succeeded to the
baronies of Lucas and Dingwall, and became the owner of several
great houses. He was neither oppressed by, nor unappreciative
of, his new possessions, but he always preferred his home at Picket
Post in the New Forest. Then there befell him the most fantastic
fate. When the Liberal Government came into power, as one of the
few Liberal peers, he was marked down for preferment. He became
Mr. Haldane's private secretary in 1908 and later Under-Secretary
for War, and in 1911, for a short time, Undersecretary for the
Colonies. He was never a good speaker, but his honesty and natural
courtesy pleased even his opponents.
In
1911 he went as Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture,
where he was a real success, for he was a true countryman, knowing
at first hand what most politicians are only told. In 1914 he
entered the Cabinet as President of the Board of Agriculture,
and held the post till the formation of the Coalition in May 1915.
It was an odd destiny for a gipsy- to be a Cabinet Minister in
spite of himself at thirty-eight.
When
he left the Cabinet he found what he had always been seeking.
Though he was many years over age, he managed to join the Royal
Flying Corps, where his wonderful eye and nerve stood him in good
stead. Soon he became a most competent pilot. He was for a short
time in Egypt, and was back in England in the spring of 1916,
engaged in instructing recruits. He was offered the command of
a squadron, but refused till he had gained experience on the Western
front. He went out to France in October of that year, and in a
flight in stormy weather over the German lines was reported missing.
Early in December news came from the German side that he was dead.
When our troops advanced to victory in the autumn of 1918 they
found his grave.
There
can have been few careers with such abundant fulfilment. He had
his full share of success, and when that palled on him he could
always fall back upon the things that do not pall-the kindly earth
and the kindly air. He had found the secret of happy living, in
which the fires of youth never burn low, and the ardour and adventure
of life are never dimmed. As his epitaph we may well add to Maurice
Baring's beautiful elegy Stevenson's prose "In the hot fit of
life, a-tiptoe on the highest point of being, he passes at a bound
on to the other side. The noise of the mallet and chisel is scarcely
quenched, the trumpets have hardly done blowing, when, trailing
with him clouds of glory, the happy-starred, full-blooded spirit
shoots into the spiritual land."
IN
MEMORIAM. A. H.
O
liberal heart fast-rooted to the soil,
O lover of ancient freedom and proud toil,
Friend of the gipsies and all wandering song,
The forest's nursling and the favoured child
Of woodlands wild-
O brother to the birds and all things free,
Captain of liberty!
Deep in your heart the restless seed was sown
The vagrant spirit fretted in your feet
We wondered could you tarry long,
And brook for long the cramping street,
Or would you one day sail for shores unknown
And shake from you the dust of towns, and spurn
The crowded market place - and not return.
You found a sterner guide;
You heard the guns. Then, to their distant fire,
Your dreams were laid aside
And on that day, you cast your heart's desire
Upon a burning pyre;
You gave your service to the exalted need,
Until at last from bondage freed,
At liberty to serve as you loved best,
You chose the noblest way. God did the rest.
MAURICE
BARING.
|
JONES,
DSO |
Lumley [Owen Williames] |
Brigadier General Commanding 13th Brigade 5th Division
Essex Regiment. Died on 14th September 1918. Aged 41. Son of Richard
Edward and Catharine Jones, of Cefn Bryntalch, Abermule, Montgomeryshire.
Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (France), Officer of the Order
of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus (Italy). Buried in Bagneux British
Cemetery, Gezaincourt, Somme, France. Plot V. Row F. Grave 24. |
LAIRD |
Frederick Harry |
Corporal 8976. Ist Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
Died Thursday 10th December 1914. Aged 28. Son of Fred & Sophia
Laird of 88 Bover Street, Bedford. Husband of Julia Laird of High
Street, Silsoe. No known grave. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate)
Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 31 & 33 |
MANN |
Cyril Thomas |
Private 31136 Bedfordshire Yeomanry. Struck by
a shell, injuring his spine, killing himk instantaneously Saturday
30 March 1918. Aged 21. Born and resident Flitton, enlisted Bedford.
Son of Alfred and Lizzie Mann, of Wardhedges, Flitton. No known
grave. Commemorated on Poziers Memorial, Somme, France. Panel 7.
|
MARTIN |
Eustace Charles |
Private
G/28123. 16th Battalion Middlesex Regiment. Killed in action in
France & Flanders on 1st December 1917. Born Gravenhurst. Lived
Ampthill. Enlisted Bedford. No known grave. Commemorated on Cambrai
Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 9.
|
PRATT |
Charles Henry |
Driver 528134, 1st Mounted Division, Signal Company,
Corps Royal Engineers. Resident Silsoe, enlisted Bedford. Died 14th
October 1918 in Egypt. Buried in Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery,
Syria. Plot B. Grave 27. |
UPTON |
Walter [Edward][Chase] |
Corporal 24817, 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers.
Born Silsoe, enlisted Chester. Age 26. Son of Mrs Emille Upton of
18 Upper Northgate Street, Chester. Killed in action 1st July 1916
in France & Flanders. Formerly 46564, Royal Army Medical Corps.
Buried in Y Ravine Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme, France. Row
C. Grave 49. |
1939-1945 |
BROWN |
Donald Arthur |
Flying Officer (Navigator) 133716, 90 Squadron,
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Bomber Command. Killed in action
flying out of Tuddenham, Suffolk, flying in a Short Stirling III,
serial number LK379, when the aircraft was hit by a night fighter
and crash landed at Lampertheim 9 miles north of the target during
a raid on Mannheim Thursday 18 November 1943. Aged 24. Native of
Silsoe, Bedfordshire. Son of Frank William & Annie Margaret Brown
of Silsoe. No known grave. Commemorated on Runneymede Memorial,
Surrey. Panel 123.
Extract from England & Wales Government
Probate Death Index 1945:
BROWN
Donald Arthur of 40 High-street Silsoe Bedfordshire
died or on since 18 November 1943 on war service Probate Llandudno
10 February to Frank William Brown accounts clerk. Effects £267
4s. 11d.
|
SHIRLEY |
Richard Cathal de la Cour |
Lieutenant IA/962, 13th Frontier Force Rifles,
Indian Army. Died of organic disease of the heart (Valvular) in
West Bengal 7 August 1940. Aged 23. Born on 7 January 1917 in Bedford,
Bedfordshire. He lived at Silsoe House, Silsoe, in 1938 before the
war. Son of Lt.-Col. William Karl Scharlieb (Shirley), C.M.G., I.A.,
and Ida Mary de la Cour (nee Corbett) Shirley, of Shotley, Suffolk.
B.A. (Cantab.). Originally buried at Abbottabad, Bengal, 7 August
1940; reuried in Karachi War Cemetery, Pakistan. Plot 4. Row D.
Grave 2.
Extract from Biggleswade Chronicle 16
August 1940, page 5:
The
death occurred, on August 6th at Abbottabad, India, of Lieut.
Richard Cathal de la Cour Shirley, 13th Frontier Force Rifles,
younger son of Mrs. Ida Shirley, Silsoe House, Silsoe, and the
late Lt.-Col. Wm. Shirley, C.M.G., aged 23 years.
|
SQUIRES |
Albert Henry |
Civilian. Died at Commer Car Works, Biscot Road,
Luton, 6 November 1944. Aged 59. Born 9 February 1885. Husband of
Ellen E. Squires, of 20 Newbury Lane, Silsoe. In the 1939 Register
he was a widower, a Chaffeur, resident 20 Newbury Lane, Silsoe,
Ampthill R.D., Bedfordshire. Commemorated by LUTON, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH,
Bedfordshire.
Extract from Bedfordshire Times and Independent
17 November 1944, page 2:
LATE
A. H. SQUIRES
The funeral of Mr. Albert Henry Squires, of 20 Newbury Lane, Silsoe,
who died at the age of 59 through enemy action took place at St.
James's Church on 10th November. The Rev. S. Meade. (Vicar) officiated.
The mourners were Mrs. A. Squires (widow), Mr. G. Squires (brother).
Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes (son-in-law and daughter), Miss S. Squire,
(sister), Miss E. Rich (step-daughter), Mr. and Mrs. S. Waghorn
(son-in.law and step-daughter), Messrs. C. and W. Hadley (brothers-in-law),
Mrs. J. Squires (sister-in-law), Mesdames W. and J. Squires (nieces),
Miss M. Hadley and Anne, Mr. Cozens (managing director) Messrs.
Lambert and Pateman, from the works where he was employed also
attended, and there were several floral tributes also from the
works.
|
Buried/No
known grave. Commemorated on in churchyard but not on memorial
|
BOTTOMS |
William George Herbert |
Driver
T/7960178. Royal Army Service Corps. Died on 29th September 1945.
Aged 38. Son of Herbert and Mary Jane Bottoms; husband of Elsie
Winifred Bottoms, of Flitwick, Bedfordshire. No known grave. Commemorated
on Brookwood Memorial, Surrey. Panel 16. Column 2.
|
CRAIG |
John
Donald |
Flight
Lieutenant 128700. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died on 23rd
April 1946. Aged 39. Son of James Archibald and Ursula Marie Craig,
of Eversholt. Buried in Silsoe (St. James) Churchyard. N.E. corner,
near north boundary.
|
CUNNINGHAM |
John James |
Private
339. 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. Died of wounds on 2nd February
1915. Born Barony, Lanarkshire. Enlisted Glasgow. Buried in Silsoe
(St. James) Churchyard. Grave 1.
|
DALTON |
John |
Private
7299. 1st Battalion Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry.
Died on 7th December 1914. Aged 32. Born St Joseph’s, Swansea.
Lived Swansea. Enlisted Neath. Husband of Druscilla Campbell (formerly
Dalton), of 5, Skinner St., Swansea. Buried in Silsoe (St. James)
Churchyard. Grave 5.
|
DENNIS |
Hubert Charles |
Private 11430394. Pioneer Corps. Died on 13th June
1946. Aged 40. Son of John Thomas Dennis and Hephzibah Dennis, of
Silsoe; husband of Doris Dennis, of Silsoe. Buried in Silsoe (St.
James) Churchyard. S.E. corner. |
DORMAN |
George Edward |
Private
4026, 3rd Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Enlisted Paddington,
New South Wales. Died on 14th July 1916. Buried in Silsoe (St. James)
Churchyard. Grave 4.
|
FOSTER |
Loftus Frank |
Lance
Corporal 10680. 2nd Battalion The King’s Own Royal Lancaster
Regiment. Died on 9th May 1915. Aged 22. Born Barham, Canterbury.
Enlisted Dover. Son of Mrs. Sarah J. Lawrence, of 8, Queen St.,
Dover. Buried in Silsoe (St. James) Churchyard. Grave 2.
|
HAND |
Edward |
Gunner
17448. Royal Field Artillery. Died on 14th July 1919. Born and enlisted
Bristol. Buried in Silsoe (St. James) Churchyard. Grave 3.
|
HAYES |
Philip
Radford |
Private
5956293, 5th Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment.
Died as a POW at sea 14th October 1944. Aged 31. Husband of Anne
Mable Hayes (nee Wiffin), of Shillington, Bedfordshire. No known
grave. Commemorated on on SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Karnji War Cemetery,
Singapore. Column 63. (See also Shillington
Village)
There
is a tablet on a Wiffin memorial which reads:
In
memory of
my dear husband
Philip Radford Hayes
who died prisoner of war
in Japan 14th Oct. 1941
Aged 31 years
In God's keeping
[Details
kindly supplied by Roger Bradshaw] |
PETTY |
George Charles |
Private
T4/236740, K Company (Aldershot), Army Service Corps. Died on 15th
March 1918. Aged 22. Born Calverton, Buckinghamshire. Motor Driver
and Repairer. Resident Newbury Cottage, Silsoe, nr Ampthill, Bedford.
Discharged as medically unfit for service due to Double Mitral Disease
5 January 1917. Enlisted 26 August 1916. In the 1911 census he was
aged 15, born Claverton, Buckinghamshire, son of Charles and Mary
Ann Petty, ra Farm LAbourer, resident Lower Weald, Calverton Stony
Stratford, Buckinghamshire. Buried in Silsoe (St. James) Churchyard.
Grave 6. (Not on SDGW)
|
Also
buried in the churchyard |
ORFORD,
MC. DCM. |
Edgar Francis |
To
the Beloved Memory
Of
Edgar Francis Orford
M.C. D.C.M.
Captain & Adjutant
10th (Service Battalion)
South Wales Borderers
(1st Gwent)
Who died 17th March 1936
Aged 57 years
“Life’s work well done”.
|
Last updated 17 March, 2025
|